91xj build with full widths

[jonnyjpr]

All right. I'm a newb or whatever yall call it, but here's my build so far on my xj. I'm not doin the build myself, a friend of mine is who is doing this kind of work on the side. Trying to get an offroad shop going. I'm helping him out whenever i can.

Posting this up cause i want some input. And i know that you guys will. Constructive criticism some say.

All right here is the jeep when i got it minus the cleanliness.



after the 4.5 RE lift.



Got the sucker in the carport with the d44 mocked up under it.





Some 8 inch xj springs and 63 inch long chevys

[jonnyjpr]

The angle iron for frame stiffeners



cross member with frame stiffeners welded on



control arm mount and crossmember mount



coil buckets

[jonnyjpr]

front view

[jonnyjpr]

How does it look so far?

[vetteboy79]

Looks good, except for the D44 + 38's part.



edit: Also, why did you make the crossmember hang down so far?

[jonnyjpr]

Yea, either get stronger axle shafts and u-joints or go bigger. I'll eventually do something about that. You think the x-member is too low? hummm. oh well.

[wes8517]

im doin a similar build, but with early bronco axles, so they are about stock width. and with a lot less lift and just 35s. lookin good though

vetteboy, you got pics of your xmember? im tryin to get more ideas for more high clearance xmembers for mine

wes

[jonnyjpr]

yea, i wanna check em out too.

[vetteboy79]

You probably don't want to do what I did.







But for something more reasonable...



or

[wes8517]

i guess im just a lil confused on the trans mount deal.........is yours the stock style? i didnt think it was tucked up that high, maybe im smoking something though

wes

[Xjcrawler736]

How did you get the radius arm mounts off? grinder? I was told that you would make the tube really weak if you do that.

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/Dana44_2.htm

About half way down it shows the mount cut up.

[XJ_ranger]

you sure that you only want 4 points distributing the loading of suspention, steering, stopping, and going when in 4 wheel drive?

(im talking about your 4 very close together bolts that hold the crossmember on)

seems to me like double layer 24 gauge in that area might not like that loading...

i know you re-enforced the frame rails, but you only welded to double layer 24 gauge... so what is really holding the 're-enforcements' to the body?

just food for thought...

[jonnyjpr]

You talking about the frame stiffeners? You dont think that the stiffeners are re-inforced enough?

[jonnyjpr]

I'm sorry i didnt see the ? mark at the end. the stiffeners or reinforcements are welded on. I'm actually thinking about drilling a hole through the frame rails and put a bolt through both ends. this should help also.

[XJ_ranger]

it was a retorical(sp?) question - aimed at getting you to think about what you just hung your front axle from... and how the forces on 4 point load (the bolts holding the xmember to the frame) were going to be distributed...

but you didnt get it...

[vetteboy79]

Originally Posted by Xjcrawler736

How did you get the radius arm mounts off? grinder? I was told that you would make the tube really weak if you do that.

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/Dana44_2.htm

About half way down it shows the mount cut up.

Earlier ones used wedges that were just welded onto the axle tubes, rather than a whole cast piece between the knuckle and tube. Those are fine to remove.

Originally Posted by wes8517

i guess im just a lil confused on the trans mount deal.........is yours the stock style? i didnt think it was tucked up that high, maybe im smoking something though

wes

Drivetrain in mine is 4.0 -> NV4500 -> Np231 -> D300. Not too much in the way of stock mounts there. However in the last two pics, that setup uses the stock trans mount.

Originally Posted by XJ_ranger

you sure that you only want 4 points distributing the loading of suspention, steering, stopping, and going when in 4 wheel drive?

(im talking about your 4 very close together bolts that hold the crossmember on)

I was wondering about that too...especially considering the number of bolts that hold my junk together.

I'll find the pics tomorrow, but my first radius arm setup had 5 bolts on each side.

Originally Posted by jonnyjpr

You talking about the frame stiffeners? You dont think that the stiffeners are re-inforced enough?

They probably are...but the bigger issue is that you've localized all the stress that XJ_Ranger mentioned at a very small spot. If you spread the load out a bit more it would probably be more effective.

That's what all the unibody bracing is about, anyway. Spreading the load throughout the whole thing so you don't have localized stress cracks. What you've done there is a great start for stiffening it but I would maybe spread the crossmember loading over a greater area.

[rubiguy]

hey it looks good so far.

[jonnyjpr]

I see what you are saying. I'll do something about that then. spreading the load of the x-member. Thanks for the info. keep them coming

[Xjcrawler736]

Vetteboy what year 44s are like that?

[redranger4.0]

Originally Posted by Xjcrawler736

Vetteboy what year 44s are like that?

I know 76 is for sure not sure if 75 was similar or not.

You can always get a 78-79 F250 D44, same thing but with 8 lug outers. It has the leaf mounts but it doenst have the cast sections.

[the Merg]

That license plate makes your rig sooo much more hardcore

[jonnyjpr]

Dont be hatin

[vintagespeed]

Originally Posted by XJ_ranger

.......i know you re-enforced the frame rails, but you only welded to double layer 24 gauge... so what is really holding the 're-enforcements' to the body?

just food for thought...

blah blah blah. this setup was all the rage on Naxja for many many years. everyone and their mother has done their radius arms this way and you're going to question it now? talk about late to the party.

[jonnyjpr]

What do you think of the setup that i have vintagespeed?

[XJ_ranger]

Originally Posted by vintagespeed

blah blah blah. this setup was all the rage on Naxja for many many years. everyone and their mother has done their radius arms this way and you're going to question it now? talk about late to the party.

I know better than to argue with you on the internet... you'll just blame Avery for what I say...